Durant, Thompson help Warriors withstand Davis, Pelicans

[October 29, 2016]  NEW ORLEANS -- The Golden State Warriors never lost consecutive games as they compiled an NBA-record 73-9 record last season.

They avoided starting this season with consecutive losses as they rebounded from a 29-point loss to San Antonio in their season opener Tuesday night to hold off Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans 122-114 on Friday night in the Smoothie King Center.

"There was a lot of good stuff and some bad stuff," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. "We did a pretty good job overall. There were some defensive lapses and some head-scratching decisions, but we're on the board."

The Pelicans still aren't on the board despite another virtuoso performance by Davis. He finished with 45 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals after accomplishing an NBA-first with 50 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and seven steals in a season-opening 107-102 loss to Denver on Wednesday.

"The dude is an All-Star," Hornets guard Tim Frazier said of Davis. "You've seen him do it in back-to-back games and I'm sure he'll do it again tomorrow (in San Antonio). He finds his way. He's versatile -- he can score on 3-pointers, jump shots, layups, dunks, free throws and you can hardly stop him."

Davis, who became the first New Orleans player to score 40-plus points in consecutive games, had more support than he had in the opener, when just two teammates scored in double figures. But Frazier's career-high 21 points and 10 assists and Lance Stephenson's and Dante Cunningham's 15 points apiece weren't enough as the team made just 5-of-22 3-pointers.

"Obviously I thought (Davis) was great again," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. "We've got to get a few more guys making shots though. If they're going to send two, three guys at (Davis), we've got to have some guys step up."

The Warriors had better balanced scoring as Kevin Durant scored 30 points to lead four players in double figures. Klay Thompson had 28, Steph Curry scored 23 and Zaza Pachulia had 10 points, all in the first quarter, and 11 rebounds.

"We still need to play better," Thompson said. "We had some lapses on the defensive end, but it's only game two. Our offense was clicking for a while."

Durant, who finished with 17 rebounds, had his second double-double in as many games with Warriors, whom he joined as a free agent during the offseason, after finishing with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the opener.

Golden State led 59-50 at halftime, but Frazier scored 11 points as New Orleans took a 74-73 lead midway through the third quarter.

Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Frazier went to the bench after committing his fourth foul during Curry's streak of eight straight points. Curry scored 13 in the quarter and the Warriors led 92-81 after the period.

Golden State led by 16 on three occasions in the fourth before a 3-point play by Stephenson and a 3-pointer by Cunningham helped the Pelicans get within eight with 4:28 left.

Thompson made a 3-pointer before Davis scored 11 straight Pelicans points to get them within six with less than a minute to play. Davis tried to cut further into the lead, but Durant swatted away his jumper, grabbed the loose ball and drove in for a layup and a 118-110 lead with 37 seconds left.

Davis scored all 10 of his first-quarter points during the first nine minutes and Durant scored all nine of his in the final three minutes as the Warriors took a 32-22 lead after one quarter.

Curry sat out the final 3:30 of the half after committing his third foul and New Orleans got within 59-50 at halftime when Davis made a baseline jumper with two seconds left in the second quarter.

NOTES: The Pelicans played without two starters -- G Jrue Holiday (personal) and G/F Tyreke Evans (knee) -- and one key reserve -- G/F Quincy Pondexter (knee), all of whom are out indefinitely. ... C Damian Jones (pectoral surgery), the Warriors rookie No. 1 draft choice from Vanderbilt, also was sidelined. ... Golden State reserve G Patrick McCaw sustained a sprained left ankle in the game, X-rays were negative and he'll be re-evaluated Saturday. ... In his first season as New Orleans head coach last season, Alvin Gentry, a Warriors assistant under Steve Kerr in 2014-15, lost all three games against his former team, the third time in the last four season that Golden State has swept the series. ... Warriors F David West was selected by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round of the 2003 draft and played eight seasons with the franchise.

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